The Criterion Theatre's stage version of Lee Hall's adaptation of the film 'Shakespeare in Love', reimagining how Shakespeare wrote 'Romeo and Juliet'.
The Criterion Theatre is putting on Shakespeare in Love from 5 to 12 December, a week-long run in Earlsdon. It's the stage adaptation by Lee Hall of the Academy Award-winning film, and it does exactly what the title says: it reimagines William Shakespeare's creative process and the inspiration that went into writing Romeo and Juliet.
The story starts with the theatre owner, Henslowe, who's counting on Shakespeare's promised comedy, Romeo and Ethel, the Pirate's Daughter, to keep his creditors at bay. At the casting session, Shakespeare discovers the secret of a talented young actor and rediscovers his muse, while he falls in love with an unattainable noblewoman. That's how the farcical comedy turns into the tragedy we know as Romeo and Juliet. Hall's adaptation keeps the wit of the original screenplay by Marc Norman and Tom Stoppard, and it's been described as a witty, literate stage version.
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The venue is The Criterion Theatre on Berkeley Road South in Earlsdon, which has been entertaining audiences since 1961. It's a volunteer-led, charitable company, and its Front of House redevelopment opened in December 2025, so it's a good time to see it in action. The production runs from 5 to 12 December, with rehearsals and tech preparations leading up to the performance dates.
